The Vietnamese government will seek the lawmaking National Assembly (NA)'s approval for a proposal that visitor e-visa validity would be increased to three months from one month for foreigners who want to enter Vietnam.

The Government Office has released conclusions of the government’s Standing Committee on visa exemptions for foreign citizens and a number of immigration policy changes.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh earlier chaired a meeting over the issue, during which the Standing Committee asked the Ministry of Public Security to team up with relevant agencies to complete proposals on e-visa validity extension and immigration policy changes to be submitted at an upcoming NA session, scheduled for May this year.

According to these proposals, Vietnam would extend the validity of e-visas granted to foreigners entering the country to three months from no more than 30 days for single entry or multiple entries.

Besides, the Southeast Asian country would grant e-visas to foreign citizens of all countries and territories.

Also, foreign visitors from countries and regions entitled to Vietnam’s unilateral visa waiver program may enjoy a maximum stay duration of 45 days, instead of the current 15 days.

The Ministry of Public Security had previously drafted amendments to the Law on Foreigners’ Entry in, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in Vietnam.

Its drafted amendments also proposed increasing the validity of e-visas issued to foreigners to three months from one month in order to create favorable conditions for those who want to enter and stay in Vietnam for up to three months.

Foreigners who want to remain in the country for more than three months would get their requests processed as per the prevailing regulations.

The ministry also proposed prolonging the length of stay to 30 days from 15 days for foreign visitors from countries to which Vietnam offers a visa waiver.

The government would finalize the list of countries and territories whose citizens would be granted the e-visa, and the list of international border gates that allow entry and exit using e-visas without negatively affecting Vietnam’s national defense and public security.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the e-visa validity extension to three months was suggested by multiple agencies in an attempt to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam’s tourism and woo more international visitors as well as investors to the country.

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